Shannon Nicole & Simply Unique

God did not create us the same for a reason

Published in

The 2017 Black Creators and Tastemakers

6 min readFeb 3, 2017

Sit back and think about the many times throughout our life where you’ve felt been upset by someone who you thought loved you. Whether it was a friend, family member or significant other, it probably took time for you to seemingly “get over the issue.” There may be times when you’re still upset, but you’ve learned to ask for forgiveness in order to continue to live your life.

For some, especially young children and adolescents, experiencing forgiveness when adults harm them doesn’t come as easy over time. Youth who witness disturbances in the home and/or have been sexually assaulted may grow up angry, confused and overall lost. Shannon Nicole noticed this and knew it was time to put her faith in God and make a change in young people going through situations she once experienced.

Alana Allen recommended I feature Shannon for the #2017BlackList due to Shannon’s work as a sexual violence advocate. I truly appreciate her work and honesty and hope you will too.

✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦

Why did you decide to start Simply Unique?

I am on my journey of overcoming over 15 years of trauma, from witnessing domestic violence in my home as a little girl, to being molested from the age of 12 to 15 by three men (the most devastating being my father, for 2 years), to drugs, alcohol, and promiscuity throughout my teenage years, to a four-year emotional and minor physical abusive relationship, to losing both my parents to homicide/suicide, and to another 2-year abusive relationship. Through it all there was low self-esteem and a lack of self-respect. I suffered with an extreme amount of anxiety, known as hypervigilance PTSD, and found it hard to maintain trust and relationships with others.

In my mid-20s, I knew the path I was walking wasn’t going to let up until I sought assistance. I knew my behaviors were a form of acting out and had much to do with what I endured. My assistance came when I sought a relationship with God. He took everything I had been through and birthed it into a mission. He woke up my pain and ignited it with passion. He told me if I wanted to heal, then I must share my story with others. All parts of it. So, I accepted the calling He placed on my life. With God in control he birthed in me a brand by the name of Simply Unique.

Originally, Simply Unique started out on an inspirational speaking path. It is my God given name to share with those he allows me to cross paths with. I’ve had the honor of sharing my testimony at several events in the Greensboro,North Carolina area with young ladies and women ranging from age 10 to 50. In the mist of healing and cultivating Simply Unique, I was engulfed in school studying psychology/interpersonal communications, attending therapeutic workshops, mental health counseling, and a journey group for survivors. Each aspect aides in my healing and understanding the dynamics it all plays and/or has played in my life. Since graduating in 2015, I have restructured Simply Unique to provide facilitated self-growth workshops and trainings. I am currently seeking to provide life coaching services this year.

Currently, “Simply Unique: Unveiling the Mask” is a resourceful sexual violence movement that seeks to bring survivors of sexual violence out of their darkness and into their light. The movement stands on the scripture of 2 Peter 2:9 which reads:

“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light…”

It was this scripture that boosted my self-confidence and understanding as the women I am today. God did not create us the same for a reason. Could you imagine what this world would be like if we were alike? Each of us were given specific talents and an array of unique characteristics. As He whispered to me, it is my duty to whisper to others, “We are Simply Unique because He Made Us that Way”. It’s not just about the survivors of abuse, it’s also for anyone seeking to discover their Simply Unique Identity, because we all are fighting some form of pain and/or experience that seeks to hold us back from living and being free.

What does Simply Unique mean to you?

The mission I am on has everything to do with healing and freedom, healing from the pain of traumatic experiences and freedom to live in one’s Simply Unique identity.

What have you had to overcome in order to achieve success?

I had to overcome myself.

I began sharing my story as an inspirational speaker in the Fall of 2011, the same season God saw fit to introduce me to His mission for my life. My first few engagements showed me the magnitude of my anxiety. I would feel the workings of shame and guilt trying to seep in followed by a racing heartbeat and excessive breathing. I would hear the inner voices of fear telling me the crowd is going to judge me; that I am not worthy and no one is going to care. Eventually after several other engagements I learned to speak against those things. I learned to accept the flaws of my story and give 100% of my truth to the participants attending the events. I learned the power of transparency.

I also had to learn to be patient with the process. There were many times I thought I was missing opportunities and missing out on engagements while attending college. I would overwhelm myself with a hectic schedule trying to be a part of everything related to sexual violence advocacy. Often times we think we have to beat the pavement and be at every event to get exposure. While that may be true for some ventures, it’s not necessarily true for mine. Since learning to be patient I find more opportunities find me then me finding them.

“He told me if I wanted to heal, then I must share my story with others. All parts of it.”

What does it mean to be a black business owner?

It means breaking the silence and barriers to the secrets black families have kept hidden for years. As slaves we were silenced, thus that silence crept into our homes. In turn, when trauma and or abuse occurs we shut the door on it and speak nothing of it. It means providing the tools to a community suffering with pain and releasing them of that pain to live a healthier, more freeing life.

What advice do you have for people who are ready to follow their dreams but are hesitating?

I feel as if I hesitated with Simply Unique since 2011. What I have been telling myself lately is that if anyone else could do what I have been called to do, then He would have chosen them. But He didn’t, He chose me and I am qualified and have everything I need, because he saw fit to birth such a mission in me.

If you know without a shadow of doubt that your dream is what you’re supposed to be doing, then you must align yourself with what God says about you. You are the head and not the tail. You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. He called you out of darkness into the light. Buckle down, focus, and align yourself with people who support you and will speak life into you when you feel like giving up.

Want to contact Shannon for more information?

Simply Unique’s website and social media are being constructed for a recharged launch in April 2017 at the first “Support Is Love” events in Greensboro and Durham, North Carolina.

To get more information about the April event, reach out to Shannon at Simplyuniquebts@gmail.com and on Facebook via Shannon SimplyUnique Nicole.